Posted by Brett Lubarsky, Youth Educator, Temple Beth Elohim

TBE CanstructionDuring our learning programs on Sunday, December 16, Temple Beth Elohim (TBE) students took on an important and complex challenge: to work as teams and build chanukiyot out of tuna fish cans. While some might think this is a random project, it focused on and connected to a number of special and meaningful mitzvot:

Temple Beth Elohim's relationship with JF&CS Family Table
Each month, we collect various items (usually cans of tuna and boxes of cereal) to donate to Family Table. Operated by Jewish Family & Children's Service, Family Table provides healthy food on a monthly and emergency basis to individuals and families in need. Its mission is to alleviate hunger in a way that meets nutritional and spiritual needs.

We are proud to say that our community donated over 600 cans of tuna this month to support this effort, all of which will be brought to Family Table by members of the TBE Tikkun Olam team.

TBE CanstructionThe Talmud teaches about the commandment of persum ha nes - publicizing the miracle! Throughout Chanukkah, we cherish the opportunity to gather with friends and family, celebrate the miracles in our own lives in addition to those of our ancestors, and share the celebration of Chanukkah with others by proudly displaying our chanukiyot and festive decorations in our windows...and, in this case, in our Community Gathering Spaces at TBE!

A note from JF&CS Family Table
JF&CS Family Table depends on the generosity and creative energy of 65 synagogues, Jewish day schools, and community centers to feed over 340 families in need every month. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Temple Beth Elohim for embracing the mission of feeding the hungry. If your community would like to engage in a similar project, please contact Tamar Moskowitz at tmoskowitz@jfcsboston.org or 781-693-1231.

To read the original post and see more pictures from TBE's Canstruction, please visit the TBE Youth blog.

Temple Beth Elohim is a Reform congregation in Wellesley, dedicated to creating a sacred community engaged in joyous, participatory and meaningful prayer, lifelong Jewish learning, excellence and innovation in education, and dedicated social activism. TBE is a diverse community of more than 1,000 families from more than 30 cities and towns in the metrowest suburbs of Boston.